1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to searching for items in a database and, more particularly, to searching for information about a digital versatile disc based on the contents of the discs.
2. Description of the Related Art
One common task in data mining and pattern recognition is to extract specific records from a large database given a finite set of qualifiers. The technique used to accomplish this task are selected from among many available techniques based upon characteristics of the data being searched and the data that provides the search key(s). Some types of data have been searched for decades, e.g., census data, tax return data, data obtained from intelligence gathering, etc. However, as new sets of data are generated, the techniques used must be selected or modified for that particular set of data.
Digital video or versatile discs (DVDs) were first produced in late 1996 and by the end of 1997 there were fewer than 700 different DVDs available. By the end of 2000, there were over 10,000 different DVD available for Region 1 (U.S., Canada and U.S. Territories) and 15,000 in all regions. As of Dec. 4, 2001, there were over 15,000 in Region 1 alone. As a result of this recent, fast growth in records that could be stored in a DVD database, the unique characteristics of searching for DVD data are only now being identified. On the other hand there is a significant need for the information that could be stored in a DVD database, at least by owners of DVD changers, because the vast majority of existing DVDs do not store a title in text format.
Following is a list of some of the information which can be stored as text on a DVD, including the title of the DVD. The abbreviations for this information are used in the description of the invention.    DVD VIDEO SPECIFICATIONS FOR READ-ONLY DISC, PART 3, VERSION 1.12 JULY 2000    VMGI—Video Manager Information.    VMGI_MAT—Video Manager Information Management Table    TT_SRPT_SA—Start Address of Title Search Pointer Table    VTS_Ns—Number of Video Title Sets    TT_SRPT—Title Search Pointer Table    TT_SRPT_Ns—Number of Title Search Pointers    TT_SRP—Title Search Pointer    PTT_Ns—Part_of_Titles    VTSN—Video Title Set number    VTS_TTN—Video Title Set Title number    VTSI—Video Title Set Information    VTS_PTT_SRPT_SA—Start Address of Video Title Set Part_of_Titles Search Pointer    VTS_PGCIT_SA—Start Address of Program Chain Information Table    VTS_PTT_SRPT—Video Title Set Part_of_Titles Search Pointer    TTU_SA—Start Address of Title Unit    TTU SRP—Title Unit Search Pointer    PTT_SRP—Part of Titles Search Pointer    PGCN—Program Chain Number    PGN—Program Number    VTS_PGCIT—Video Title Set Program Chain Information Table    VTS_PGCI_SRP—Video Title Set Program Chain Information Search Pointer    VTS_PGCI_SA—Start Address of Video Title Set Program Chain Information    VTS_PGCI—Video Title Set Program Chain Information    PGCI—Program Chain Information    PGCI_GI—Program Chain Information General Information    PGC_CNT—Program Chain Contents    C_PBIT_SA—Start Address of Cell Playback Information Table    PGC_PGMAP_SA—Start Address of PGC_PGMAP    C_PBIT—Cell Playback Information Table    C_PBI—Cell Playback Information    C_PBTM—Cell Playback Time
Now that DVD changers holding 100 discs or more are becoming available, the same problem experienced with CD changers holding hundreds of discs is being experienced. It is difficult for a user to identify a desired disc without supplemental information stored in a searchable database. A simple list of titles is a bare minimum and it is desirable to have additional information, including information that cannot be obtained from the discs themselves, such as a description, synopsis, rating, genre, performers, directors and other production staff, cover art, etc. Systems displaying such information stored in databases, such as TUNEBASE from Escient are known for CDs and can be adapted for DVDs. However, it is desirable to avoid manual operations required to select information in a database containing 10,000 to 15,000 or more records, particularly when there are often several similar records, such as when a DVD title is released several times in a special edition, directors cut, etc.